If you are from a Christian home, then practicing Sabbath rest for moms should be a priority.
Moms need a day off and you can give yourself that rest if you know what to do. As you read on, we will be giving you some guidelines on how to make this a reality.
Practicing Sabbath Rest for Moms
Looking at it, it looks impossible. To leave the dishes, prepare food, cater for the kids, take care of the homes, and finally have a well-deserved rest.
You can do this as a mom by following these guidelines and ideas:
1. Check Your Mindset
If you don’t have the right mindset, the other actions that follow won’t help you. You will never be able to relax on the Sabbath Day as a mother if you think you can’t.
Most of the time, none of your ideas will pass the initial stage. It will take some time to shift your perspective on honoring the Sabbath Day as a mother, but it’s the most crucial step.
If you sense that something is preventing you from fully enjoying the Sabbath Day, ask the Father to work in your heart.
2. Check Your Expectations
Over the years, we have known one thing to be true, that when things don’t turn out the way you anticipated, having unrealistic expectations can leave you feeling defeated and empty. This is why Sabbath rest for moms seems like an unattainable ideal.
Though physical rest is vital and has to be given priority, the Sabbath is not a time for prolonged naps.
It is about taking solace in Yahweh’s kindness, luxuriating in His splendor, and allowing your heart to overflow with thankfulness for being His children.
And more power to you if you get the chance to enjoy Him while lounging in a hammock on a lovely spring day.
3. Simplify
The most significant aspect of the Sabbath is that it is a special day, and on that note, it must make you and everyone else feel special as well. Prepare a dinner for Friday night that you can reheat for the next day’s lunch.
Choose foods that everyone enjoys as well. A mother’s worst nightmare is to spend all day preparing a nice supper and then spend Friday night persuading her children to eat it.
For moms who are busy and have long days, paper plates are a good alternative. Rest and pamper yourself.
It won’t matter how fancy the dinner was, our kids will remember how we made them feel.
4. Less is More
Cleaning up might feel never-ending when our kids are small. They can be taught to clean up after themselves.
We advise that clearing up everything in your life that isn’t actively benefiting you and your family is worth your valuable time.
You are the manager of the inventory that consists of every object in your home. After taking some time to identify the things that are important to you, work a bit each day to get rid of the things that aren’t.
It can be difficult to properly relax if we exhaust ourselves all week maintaining an excessive amount of inventory, and then that inventory piles up on Sabbath. If you don’t have much, you can live without it for a day without experiencing a catastrophe.
5. Orient Your Entire Week Around Preparing for Sabbath
Plan the entire week around Sabbath preparations. Consider the week as a lead-up to the Sabbath.
The titles of the days of the week are really in Hebrew: 6 days to Sabbath, 5 days to Sabbath, and so on.
You might have errands and groceries on Monday. Tuesday can involve household projects. Wednesday can involve running more errands, such as getting petrol, visiting the bank, etc.
It might be a very clean Thursday. Friday can be the last day of doing the cleaning and cooking. Nothing needs to be flawless but if you follow the plan, you can be close.
6. Practice Working Well
You need to practice working well if you want to be able to sleep well.
If you don’t put in a lot of effort during the week, Saturday will seem like every other day.
When you don’t have these extra tasks to complete on Sabbath, you may live well and be productive the rest of the week.
7. Think About What Would be Helpful
Every Sabbath is a little different for most of us. The arranging of events, attending of sizable get-togethers, visiting the homes of close friends, and occasionally just relaxing at home.
Consider what could be done on Friday to help ensure a smooth Saturday. Additionally, adjust your meals to fit your schedule.
Days spent at home are ideal for a leisurely, more involved breakfast. Plan for something easier if you’re leaving soon.
8. Make it Special for You
Make it unique to you. As mothers, it’s tempting to fall victim to self-pitying at times. Even though you spend time looking after others, you frequently feel uncared for.
In actuality, as a mom, you must take care of yourself just as you would any other loved one.
It is your responsibility to determine what you need and to let others know.
A handmade cappuccino, a bath with special salts, painting your nails, retiring early, lounging around in cozy pajamas, presenting your food artistically, and lighting a candle, are great examples.
9. Let Go of Perfection
God is aware that you are a mother. He is aware of your dedication to work and your deep love for your family.
Forget for a moment that He finds you guilty for performing the tasks that mothers are required to complete on Sabbath.
Furthermore, you have faith that He will reward your attempts to take breaks and relax when you can. Perhaps spend some time in prayer and meditation in the Scriptures before the children wake up on Shabbat.
After breakfast, while you enjoy an extra cup of coffee in a quiet place (if you can find one), ask your spouse to read the children a few books with Sabbath themes.
Never undervalue the times during the day when you can do something to nourish your spirit.
10. Take Advantage of Systems
You should employ a system, to help you keep your home neat. The secret to lowering stress and allowing you as a mother to appreciate the Sabbath Day is implementing systems.
This is because they assist you in managing your everyday errands and tasks so that you are not overburdened with them come Sabbath.
Please understand that systems greatly ease your life and give you greater control over your domestic responsibilities.
11. Give Another Mama a Helping Hand
Whenever you feel overwhelmed by the amount of work and chores you have to complete before Shabbat, it can be helpful to glance beyond the window of your own small world and remove your attention from yourself.
“Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others,” says Philippians 2:4. This verse holds true on the Sabbath and all other days of the week.
You might be astonished at how your viewpoint will shift just by making a conscious effort to assist another mama before and during the Sabbath.
If you attend a Shabbat service, offer to watch another mama’s children while she brings in her belongings.
Compose a supportive note and either mail it or slip it into the hand of a mother friend. Simply take a glance around and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to situations where you can help another mother. You can count on him.
12. Unplug from Social Media
Unplugging from social media is one way that moms can take a break from the outside world and concentrate on Yahweh’s goodness while resting on the Sabbath Day.
Social media can be a great way to stay in touch with loved ones, but it can also be a major time-waster and source of distraction.
Furthermore, social media might discourage you by giving you the impression that you will never be able to measure up to other mothers. It’s possible that you’re an expert at being your own worst enemy and don’t need any more inspiration!
You must avoid using social media on the day designated as the Sabbath. You might have discovered that social media can be addictive, so this could be challenging.
It could require a lot of willpower and intention on your side to take a vacation from it. It’s worth it, so don’t worry.
13. Get Your Worship On
Worshiping using music is a great strategy for overcoming discouragement and overwhelm.
Even the strongest sympathy party can be dispelled by praise and worship music.
Raise your hands, put on some “God tunes,” and give you all to worship the One True God if you are feeling stressed out and like sleep will never come.
You can focus on what’s important by directing your worship toward the Creator rather than your concerns.
14. Ask for Help
Asking for help can be difficult for moms. You may do everything yourself.
However, refusal of help is actually an ugly display of pride brewing in your heart. Every day you need to be more intentional about asking for help.
Yahweh designed His people to live in community, not isolation. He created us to be community-sufficient for many reasons, but one is so that we can carry each other’s burdens and lighten one another’s loads.
If you have access to someone who is willing to lend a helping hand, accept it with a grateful heart.
15. Know Yourself
You’ve probably discovered that mothers observe Sabbath rest in a variety of ways, which is one of the most fascinating things about it. Some of you are extroverts and some of you are introverts.
While extroverts get their energy from being around people, introverts need time alone to refuel.
It’s not that introverts dislike people, rather, it’s that they need to spend their time with the proper people, ideally just one or two individuals who share their interests so they can have deep conversations.
What then is the relationship between Sabbath rest and being an extroverted or introverted mother? Everything. An introvert might become quickly depleted by being in a crowd of people and not having real, life-giving talks.
Furthermore, an extrovert who doesn’t get plenty of social interaction won’t be able to refuel. So look within and find out what rejuvenates you.
After that, try your hardest to meet those demands. Even the tiniest actions to replenish your introvert/extrovert tank can have a profound effect, though this is sometimes easier said than done.
16. A Gift and A Delight
It is up to mothers to decide if they want to actually rest on the Sabbath Day. Even while taking care of children is still necessary, you can still discover God’s grandeur in the little details of your day.
Raising expectations in line with reality is necessary, not lowering them. Mamas are included in the entirety of Yahweh’s creation for whom the Sabbath Day was intended.
What Day of the Week is the True Sabbath?
Eastern Christianity practices the Sabbath as a reminder of the Hebrew Sabbath, and Saturday, the seventh day, is still recognized as the Sabbath in Eastern Christianity.
The first day, or “eighth day,” is Sunday, which is recognized as the Lord’s Day in Catholicism and most branches of Protestantism.
Some times Sundays are always set aside for a weekly observation of the resurrection, and communal worship, as well as the Holy Mysteries, can equally occur any day.
The Lord’s Day is frequently referred to as a “Christian Sabbath” in Western Christianity; it is different from the Hebrew Sabbath but similar in other ways.
As a mom, you shouldn’t overwork yourself to death, take time and rest and the Sabbath day.
Is it assigning responsibilities, having a working system, or requesting help? These tips will guide you in practicing Sabbath rest for moms.
